Method for allocating electrical energy within an electrolysis plant

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for allocating electrical energy within an electrolysis plant for producing oxygen and hydrogen. The electrolysis plant comprises a system control device and at least two management apparatuses. Each management apparatus comprises at least one management control device and at least two electrolysis devices. The allocation method comprises method steps and method sequences by means of which the electrolysis process can be particularly advantageously controlled. Thus, a particularly flexible design of the electrolysis process can be implemented, while at the same time high efficiency and an extended service life of the individual components of the electrolysis plant are achieved. The flexible design of the electrolysis process is reflected especially in an expanded range of application of the electrolysis plant.

1 . A method for allocating electrical energy within an electrolysis plant for producing oxygen and hydrogen, the electrolysis plant comprising a system control device, and at least two management apparatuses,
 wherein the electrolysis plant comprises at least one water treatment, a water tank, a water supply unit, a pressurization and/or gas treatment unit for hydrogen gas, a heat exchanger unit and/or a power conversion unit for supplying the at least two management apparatuses,   the at least two management apparatuses each comprising at least one management control device and at least two electrolysis devices,   wherein each of the at least two management apparatuses for supplying the respective at least two electrolysis devices comprises at least one electrolyte storage tank, an electrolyte preparation device, an electrolyte pumping device, a heat transfer unit and/or a power distribution unit,   wherein the allocation method comprises the following method steps:   detecting a supply capacity of electrical energy that can be obtained and utilized from an electrical supply via a communication interface of the system control device,   determining a respective target operating range for each of the at least two management apparatuses by the system control device,   transmitting the intended target operating ranges to the respective one of the at least two management apparatuses,   determining a respective target operating state or the target operating states for each electrolysis device by the respective management control device of the respective management apparatus,   specifying the intended target operating state for the respective electrolysis device determining the characteristic operating parameters of each electrolysis device by a respective management control device of the at least two management devices by means of a respective state detection device,   wherein the respective management control device of the at least two management apparatuses determines an available processing capacity of the management apparatuses and transmits it to the system control device,   wherein the system control device performs a balancing between the available processing capacities of the at least two management apparatuses and the supply capacity that can be obtained from and utilized by the electrical supply,   wherein the system control device determines an adapted target operating range for each of the at least two management apparatuses on the basis of this balancing of the capacities and specifies it for the at least two management apparatuses,   wherein the electrical energy that can be obtained and utilized from the electrical supply is allocated to each of the at least two management apparatuses according to the respective target operating range,   wherein each management control device determines an adapted target working state on the basis of the respective adapted target operating range and specifies it for the electrolysis devices coupled to the respective management apparatuses, and   wherein each of the electrolysis devices is allocated an amount of electrical energy corresponding to the respective target working state.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrical supply is provided by at least one of an energy generating company, an energy production facility, an energy generating community, an energy supply service provider, a renewable energy sources. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the respective target operating range for the at least two management apparatuses comprises at least one mode of operation plus a feasible consumption of electrical power. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the system control device is configured to determine at least one of an operating mode, a rinsing mode, an idle mode, a maintenance mode, an emergency mode, a start-up mode, a shutdown mode an electrolysis mode, by balancing the available processing capacities and the utilizable supply capacity. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the respective target working state for an electrolysis device comprises at least one consumption of electrical power, which electrical power is used by the electrolysis process. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the characteristic operating parameters are defined as a parameter set formed from measured variables, which parameter set comprises at least one of the electrical power consumption, the electrolyte or cell temperature, the volume flow of the electrolyte, the pressure or the degree of purity of the hydrogen gas produced, the pressure of the electrolyte, or the cell voltage. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each state detection device of a management apparatus comprises at least one equivalent set of sensors for each electrolysis device, wherein each sensor may be activated or put into standby mode by means of the state detection device. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each management control device determines state characteristics for each electrolysis device by monitoring the characteristic operating parameters during operation of the plant, which state characteristics comprise at least one of the efficiency, the working state, the expected remaining service life, the start-up behavior and/or the power reserve of the respective electrolysis device. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing capacity of each management apparatus is determined from working states that can be implemented by the electrolysis devices and meta-information of the electrolysis devices by the respective management control device. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the intended target operating state for each electrolysis device is adapted by means of a respective resistance function, which resistance function forms a weighted counter-measure against a disadvantageous working state of the respective electrolysis device, in particular a disadvantageous working state with regard to safety, efficiency and/or service life of the respective electrolysis device. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein a blocking state of the electrolysis device may be activated by the respective resistance function, which blocking state prevents the allocation of electrical energy and/or influences the supply of electrolyte. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the intended target operating range is adapted for each management apparatus by means of a respective weighting function, wherein the weighting function forms a weighted countermeasure against a disadvantageous operating state of the respective management apparatus, the disadvantageous operating state includes one of safety, efficiency and/or service life of the respective management apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a bidirectional communication connection with at least one further electrolysis plant, an internet-based interface and/or a database server may be established by means of the communication interface of the system control device. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the system control device is configured to perform a plant analysis on the basis of historical and/or current processing capacities and/or on the basis of external data, wherein the external data is received by the communication interface, wherein the plant analysis comprises as a result at least one degree of utilization of the electrolysis plant, determined over a period of time, based on a trend analysis of the utilization behavior of the electrolysis device or the supply capacity. 
     
     
         15 . A method for allocating electrical energy within an electrolysis plant for producing oxygen and hydrogen, the electrolysis plant comprising:
 a system control device; and   a management apparatus,   wherein the electrolysis plant comprises a water treatment, a water tank, a water supply unit, a pressurization and/or gas treatment unit for hydrogen gas, a heat exchanger unit and/or a power conversion unit for supplying the management apparatus,   the management apparatus comprising a management control device and an electrolysis device,   wherein the management apparatus includes an electrolyte storage tank, an electrolyte preparation device, an electrolyte pumping device, a heat transfer unit and/or a power distribution unit,   wherein the allocation method comprises the following method steps:   detecting a supply capacity of electrical energy that can be obtained and utilized from an electrical supply via a communication interface of the system control device,   determining a respective target operating range for the management apparatus,   transmitting the intended target operating range to the management apparatus,   determining a target operating state for the electrolysis device, and   determining the characteristic operating parameters of the electrolysis device by a respective management control device of the management device.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the management control device of the management apparatus determines an available processing capacity of the management apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the system control device performs a balancing between the available processing capacities of the management apparatus and the supply capacity. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the system control device determines an adapted target operating range for the management apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the management control device determines an adapted target working state on the basis of a target operating range. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the electrolysis device is allocated an amount of electrical energy corresponding to a respective target working state.